2021 Roster Discussion

[JayH]

you have really optimistic views. there's no guarantee these guys would perform in MLS. ighalo probably has a better shot than costa. costa's attitude would probably give us more headaches than his salary would be worth. i would be ok signing ighalo as a DP, but not costa and i don't think he'd come as a TAM player.

all that said - i don't think those two players would get us a trophy. MLS is not that low level. I think our biggest problem is not that we don't have a top scorer and adequate supporting cast, but we are very handicapped by a one trick pony coach who drives his players into the ground.

Was editing my post with other options for a wing given too much overlap at CF if Heber is also healthy, but got interrupted. In any case, I think you highly overvalue MLS if you don't think Ighalo or Diego Costa would game-change our team (In fact, as written, even more so if you didn't think BOTH would game-change our team). If we had the talent of either of them last season, particularly in the playoffs - we would be been holding a trophy rather than losing a game to a mediocre team with a defender playing goalie. Exactly what we were missing was a better version of Heber. Instead we had guys like Taty and Medina flanked by GMS not being able to hit the side of a barn.

 

[Shwafta]

Leaving aside pandemic-related issues (and the need for a greater than zero percent mutual interest), here is how CFG could buy a trophy. Sign Ighalo. He is not old (31) and would score at close to ease in MLS. He is a terrific talent and unfortunately was not the right spot for him behind the Man U kids and then Cavani. He has mentioned MLS as being a landing spot. Let's leave aside his devotion to the other side of Manchester. Sign Diego Costa. Others have mentioned age, attitude, and injury. Come on, he would obliterate MLS defenses (absent serious injury which would keep him from playing). Man City may pull a Lampard with him for depth, but let him come when he wants. Then use the rest of the $$$$ to fill the rest of the holes. with good scouting This won't happen for various reasons, including the pandemic, not our blue print, saving bigger name signings for the new stadium, lack of mutual interest due to homelessness, etc. But if we were the LA Galaxy in NY, and this somehow, came to fruition, we would be unstoppable.

Remember that time Villa came to MLS? Lampard? Pirlo? Nani? Zlatan? Rooney? Schweinsteiger? Drogba? Kaka? Henry?
How many of them won or helped their team win MLS cup? How many of them won or helped their team win the supporters' shield?
...And let's not forget three of those, two being world cup winners, came to NYCFC at the same time.

--edit-- Yes, Villa was great, and some of these players did wonders for their teams... but it still didn't help any of them win anything, except Henry who won the supporters shield IIRC.

 

[JayH]

Remember that time Villa came to MLS? Lampard? Pirlo? Nani? Zlatan? Rooney? Schweinsteiger? Drogba? Kaka? Henry?
How many of them won or helped their team win MLS cup? How many of them won or helped their team win the supporters' shield?
...And let's not forget three of those, two being world cup winners, came to NYCFC at the same time.

--edit-- Yes, Villa was great, and some of these players did wonders for their teams... but it still didn't help any of them win anything, except Henry who won the supporters shield IIRC.

You're missing the point, none of this is relevant. I am not talking about "their" team. I'm talking about "our" team and what we need now to complete our team to win a trophy. I would argue that several of those (the strikers) would have made a massive difference last year and going forward for us.

 

[Shwafta]

You're missing the point, none of this is relevant. I am not talking about "their" team. I'm talking about "our" team and what we need now to complete our team to win a trophy. I would argue that several of those would have made a massive difference last year and going forward for us.

Three of those were our team. I hear what you're saying, but I also don't agree. Older players tend to injure more. People keep saying aguero should come, but look at him the last two years. Would you really want that on your team? As well, depending on the player, coming here might just demotivate them and they won't play as well. I'd much rather a team of younger but excited to make a name for themselves players, or players entering their prime coming from a smaller-ish league. If we could get a big name, I wouldn't want someone who is semi-reliable or injury prone, which tends to happen with those.

you mentioned 'buying a trophy' and I'm saying I don't think it would work by simply buying good names. Look how much success Galaxy have had since 2014, and you can't tell me they haven't been trying to buy a trophy...

 

[JayH]

Three of those were our team. I hear what you're saying, but I also don't agree. Older players tend to injure more. People keep saying aguero should come, but look at him the last two years. Would you really want that on your team? As well, depending on the player, coming here might just demotivate them and they won't play as well. I'd much rather a team of younger but excited to make a name for themselves players, or players entering their prime coming from a smaller-ish league. If we could get a big name, I wouldn't want someone who is semi-reliable or injury prone, which tends to happen with those.

you mentioned 'buying a trophy' and I'm saying I don't think it would work by simply buying good names. Look how much success Galaxy have had since 2014, and you can't tell me they haven't been trying to buy a trophy...

I was talking about a striker which is a massive hole which has cost our otherwise strong roster dearly the last couple of seasons. You mentioned Zlatan. Can you imagine the difference a Zlatan would have made last season or this for our team with our roster? Imagine Maxi having someone other than mediocre forwards to pass to. I mentioned Ighalo who is super talented, has a great attitude, and would thrive here. Costa is cantankerous but the strong, opportunistic type of center forward we have never had. Either would have been exactly what we were missing last year. I too love watching the kids play, but choosing the right bigger name like Villa or Zlatan should still be in play. And nothing guarantees a trophy - but we can still maximize our chances and unlike many other clubs have the $$$ to do so.

 

[mgarbowski]

I think nobody has made the case more than me that having a world class striker with a career record of scoring in the biggest games is no guarantee he will do so in the MLS playoffs. But that doesn't mean having a world class striker is not your best chance of setting yourself up to have a guy who scores in the MLS playoffs. Villa's MLS playoff record was a bizarre statistical oddity.

Age? Ighalo is 31 and Costa 32. That's the back end of prime, and sure, some guys start breaking down around then, but most can run well for a few more years. It's younger than Villa was in 2015 and he dominated the league in the regular season and injuries were only a factor his last 1.25 years or so.

If you don't go for guys like this, you're looking for younger guys with great-but-not-good-enough talent in top leagues like Giovinco or Martinez, and that has its own unique risks, plus there's no reason they won't have a Villa-like playoff career even if they do break out. Without hindsight, there's no reason to expect Villa is the one to falter in knockout games. And even now nobody could explain why. You could make a case for age,that he was worn down at the end of the season, but nobody really thinks that, except again maybe at the very end. He ran hard every Cup and playoff game. The ball just rarely went in the net compared the rest of his entire career.

With 2 open DP slots I'd be happy for the club to split its bets. One slightly past prime superstar and one diamond in the rough. Positionally I don't think it matters how you place them.

 

[Shwafta]

I was talking about a striker which is a massive hole which has cost our otherwise strong roster dearly the last couple of seasons. You mentioned Zlatan. Can you imagine the difference a Zlatan would have made last season or this for our team with our roster? Imagine Maxi having someone other than mediocre forwards to pass to. I mentioned Ighalo who is super talented, has a great attitude, and would thrive here. Costa is cantankerous but the strong, opportunistic type of center forward we have never had. Either would have been exactly what we were missing last year. I too love watching the kids play, but choosing the right bigger name like Villa or Zlatan should still be in play. And nothing guarantees a trophy - but we can still maximize our chances and unlike many other clubs have the $$$ to do so.

Fair enough. You both make good points. I just personally think it would leave us with a hindsight "why didn't we ________". Maybe I'm wrong, and I hope I'm wrong on that. Feel free to quote me on this and "i told you so" me if we do end up signing a big name and he does amazing!

 

[moogoo]

Was editing my post with other options for a wing given too much overlap at CF if Heber is also healthy, but got interrupted. In any case, I think you highly overvalue MLS if you don't think Ighalo or Diego Costa would game-change our team (In fact, as written, even more so if you didn't think BOTH would game-change our team). If we had the talent of either of them last season, particularly in the playoffs - we would be been holding a trophy rather than losing a game to a mediocre team with a defender playing goalie. Exactly what we were missing was a better version of Heber. Instead we had guys like Taty and Medina flanked by GMS not being able to hit the side of a barn.

I agree that having a proven striker would change our team, but I disagree that having both would "buy us a trophy". I think there are always a lot of variables and just getting "proven strikers" from europe or elsewhere, doesn't always work out. I am all for bringing in a big player - I'm just not convinced they'd agree to come to NY.

 

[JayH]

I agree that having a proven striker would change our team, but I disagree that having both would "buy us a trophy". I think there are always a lot of variables and just getting "proven strikers" from europe or elsewhere, doesn't always work out. I am all for bringing in a big player - I'm just not convinced they'd agree to come to NY.

See subsequent posts. Nothing guarantees you a trophy. That doesn’t mean you don’t try to maximize your chances whether it’s through names or no-names. My suggestion is that either of those guys does that. Random coincidence - just read this FWIW:

Why Costa would win the title for Man City - Micah Richards analysis

BBC pundit Micah Richards explains why former Chelsea striker Diego Costa would make the difference for Manchester City in the race to win the Premier League.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Shwafta]

Ten young MLS players I'm rooting for in 2021 | MLSSoccer.com

Wiebe: 10 young players I'm rooting for in 2021

www.mlssoccer.com

 

[Kjbert]

I’m ok with selling Taty. Can we get 3-4 million for him? Think his stock has come down after last season.

I think recruitment is difficult right now for MLS. Work stoppage and lots of travel.

 

[kun]

Taty is quality, if he goes for less than $5M we've been had. Last season wasn't his best but he's such a talent.

 

[kun]

I'll be ok with this if we can get Aguero on loan from the mother ship.

not a chance.

however he may be available for free in the summer.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I’m ok with selling Taty. Can we get 3-4 million for him? Think his stock has come down after last season.

I think recruitment is difficult right now for MLS. Work stoppage and lots of travel.

Agreed here. Taty is a nice player, but he's not a guy I'm building my team around. I have no problem moving on from him. Aside from Heber, I think the entire front-line needs to be completely revamped, so I'm fine moving on from Taty.

 

[Buckley]

Dzeko now following the club on Twitter and liked a recent tweet FWIW

 

[LionNYC]

Dzeko now following the club on Twitter and liked a recent tweet FWIW

Based on how Twitter works, he looks to have been following NYCFC for some time. As an ex-Man City player, he still probably supports Man City and its affiliate clubs. And he's still under contract until 2022. Unless the 34 year old would come here on a free transfer, I don't think he's coming.

 

[Kjbert]

I don’t think he’s been in decent form based on who he has been linked to? I could be wrong. Don’t follow Roma

 

[twsj91]

Based on how Twitter works, he looks to have been following NYCFC for some time. As an ex-Man City player, he still probably supports Man City and its affiliate clubs. And he's still under contract until 2022. Unless the 34 year old would come here on a free transfer, I don't think he's coming.

There are rumors he's going to join Man City then take some sort of ambassador role at the club at the end of the season (or contract?). Not out of the realm of possibility he finishes he career within CFG then takes some sort of role with MCFC.

I'd love to have him here personally.

 

[Kjbert]

Rumor is a swap him for Alexis

 

[LionNYC]

Rumor is a swap him for Alexis

Alexis Sanchez (Inter) and Dzeko (Roma) swap?